peters



ir IIMI wlw se/wf ittici GIDEON B. MASSEY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Lette/rs .Patent No. 87,183, dated February 23, 1869.

^ IMPROVEMENT IN LIQUID-METERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making parl; of the same.

To all'whom it may concern.-

Beit knownthat I, GIDEON B. MAssnY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Liquid-Meter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,fclear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making ,a part of this speciication, vin which- Figure 1, sheetl, is a diametrical section through the meter-case, and the measuring-vesseltherein, exposing, by a side View, the measuring-mechanism, the supply-pipe, high-water float, and registering-case.

Figurev 2, sheet 1, is a diametrical section through the meter-case and measuring-vessel, and the air-sup plying device, exposing, by a front view, ythe measuring-devices and two valvular outlets, from the doublechamber measuring-devices.

Figure 3, sheet l, is a sectional view of the oscillating water-way. i

.Figure 4, sheet 1, is a sectional View of the outlet from the :lower section of the meter-case, and the valve for shutting this= outlet when the water in the case rises too'high.

Figure 5, sheet 2, is an enlarged sectional View of the automatic measuring-devices, which are applied tothe double-chambercd measuring-vessel within the meter-onse.

devices, projected from iig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts iu the several figures.

The object of-my invention is to provide for accu, rately audcheapl y measuring water, spirits, and liquids of various kinds, and to ssc-construct themeasuringmechanism, that while it is certain in its operation and registration, it shall be controlled entirely 'by the flow of water through the chamber containingit, and operate equally as well under varying or constant heads or pressures of liquids.

The meter, which I shall hereinafter explain, is designed more especially for measuring and registering the measured quantity of water consumed for manufacturing, domestic, and other purposes, incities and other places which are supplied with water from 'reservoirs; also for attachment to spirit-stills, that the rquantit y of taxable liquor mauuractuued may be measured, and a correct record of the saine preserved.

The following description will enable others skilled in the art to understand the best meansl known to me for carrying my invention into effect.

For the purpose of' elevating water or other liquid, after-it is measured, above the level ofthe measuringmechanism, and tp take advantage of the head or pressure on the liquid, to effect this object, I apply the measuring-devices within an air-chamber, or globe, B, which maybe made of metal or glass, and which is mounted upon the upper open end of a vessel, A, and secured. air-tight thereon.

T vessel A is intended to receive the measured liquid, and to allow the same to be drawn off through a pipe, W, to the inner end of which a valve, W', 1s applied, which is controlled by a float, O.

The float O is applied upon the upper end of a rod, 0', which rod is pivoted to the longest end ofthe lever u of valve W', and this float is arranged so that, should the liquid rise high enough to obstruct the correct working of the measuring-devices, it will shut W', and. prevent the liquid from escaping, or being drawn on" through pipe W Under this condition of things, there will be toolit tlc air above the liquid in the casing; and in order to increase the quantity of air therein, I employ, on the outside of the receiver A, a chamber, K, communica ting with the external air through pipe K2 and cock 2, and with the interior of said receiver A, through pipe K' and cock 2. By shutting cock 2, and opening cock 2', the air in chamber K will enter the casing A B, and this chamber will be filled with water. Cock 2is then shut, and cock 2 opened, which will allow the water to escape from chamber K, and air to take its place, which can be introduced into the casing, as before described.

In this way liquid can be drawn iom'the casing, and air introduced, until the liquid-level is' at a properdistance below the float O.

The amount of air in the casing A B should be such that, under the greatest pressure to which it will be subjected, it should not allow the liquid to riseabove the Vfloat O, and if such an amount of air is maintained in the; casing, the air'- supplying chamber K, and its cocks, will not be required.

The liquid is conducted through a trap, on its way to pipe G, which trap contains a valve, U, that will prevent a reflux of liquid or air from the casing A B, through the supply-pipe G.

The pipe G rises from a point near the bottom of the receiver A, nearly to the top of the air-chamber B, and is curved at its upper end, and provided with an outlet, g, arranged centrally over an oscillating chute, F, which I shall hereinafter term a water-way, and which is applicdfast to a horizontal rock-shaft, j, mounted upon a double-chambered measuring-vessel, G, by means of bearings f' f'.

The water-way .F consists of two disks, united by plates q, applied in such manner, shown in gs. 1 and 3, as to direct the descending stream into one or the other of the vertical chambers of the vessel O.

To one end of therock-shaft f, a short arm, 8, is applied, by screwing it through this shaft, so as to lengthen vor shorten its strokes, as may be required; and to this arm is pivoted a pawl-rod, P,which descends through a tube, Il', fixed in one ofthe measuring-chambers, and has a tooth formed on its lower end, for actuating the ratchet-wheel T of the registeringmechanism.'

The oscillatory motion given to shaft f, as will be hereinafter described, communicates a vertical motion to pawl-rod P, and as the lower end'of this rod is held receiver A, with its works exposed to view from the exterior ofthe receiver. Any suitable mechanism which will keep a correct record ofthe oscillations of shaft f,

l may be adopted.

The measuring-vessel C is divided diametrieally by a partition, D, which forms two independent measuring-chambers, each one of which has an opening, j, through its bottom, which, at certain times, is closed by a valveyi.

A These valves e' l are applied on the lower ends of rods I I',which rise throughand are guided by the cross-pieces J, and which are pivoted at s s to the shortest arms of two vertically-vibrating levers, an mi, shown clearly in figs. 5 and 6, sheet 2.

' The levers fm. m have their fulcra at V, upon opposite sides of a vertical standard, l, and they'arc of an equal length, and receive equal length of strokes.

The longest arms of these levers m 'la have pivoted i to them the bfurcated ends 71. It of two 4rods h.' 71.', which rods are screwed through floats H H, so that these floats are suspended from said levers in their respectl ive measuringfchambers of vessel O, las shown in figs.

2 and 5. v

The lower portions of rods h It pass freely through the pieces J and are guided .by them.

The floats H H may be adjusted higher or lower on rods h' h', according to the height it is desired the liquid l should rise in the measuring-chambers before beingal lowed to escape therefrom, through oriiices jj.

It will be seen that the valve-rod I, applied tothe valve i of one measuring-chamber, is attached to the shortest arm of the lever-m, carry-ing a iioat, E, in the opposite measuring-chamber. Consequently, when a oat, H, is caused to rise by the supply of liquid to itsA chamber, it will shut the valve i, in the opposite chain ber, preparatory to the supply of liquid thereto.

To the rock-shaft f, of the water-way F, two arms, k k, are fastened on opposite sides of the standard l and a bridge, E, and to the free ends of these arms Ich', rods n n are attached, by studs 5 5, passed through Lshaped slots made through them.

The outer ends of rods nn are pivoted, at p p, iig. 5, to the outer ends of levers m m, so that, by the alternate descent of the iioat-s H, an oscillating motion will be given to the shaft f and the water-way F.

The inner ends of .rods a vn are slotted, as shown inthedrawings, for the purpose of allowing either iloat, H, to rise to its full height without acting upon the arm k, to which it is connected by a rod, a; also, to allow the inner ends of said rods to drop, by their own gravity, far .enough to press against pins t`, on arms 7:,

and thus ,hold these arms positively in their proper po-4 sition during the filling of one chamber and the emptying 'the other.

l To the pivots s s, on the short armsV of levers m m, latches fr r are applied, the opposite bevelled ends of which latches are passed freely through slots made through the pivot-heads p 11, on levers m m, as shown clearly in figs. 5 and 6.

The object of these latches fr fr is to arrest each iioat,

H, when it arrives at its highest point, and retainit there until the opposite iioat reaches its highest point, thereby keeping the valve i, which'is in the chamber receiving liquid, shut, until this chamber receives its supply, and the valve in the opposite chamber is shut. In this manner the measuring-chamber will alternately receive and discharge a full and equal supply of liquid.

The latches r r catch over points of repose, e, Aon

pivoted rests, e, which have their bearings on the depressed endsoi" the bridge E, and the screws e, applied to rests c, adlnit of their being adjusted to anicety, for arresting an releasing the bevelled ends of said catches y at properl ti es.

The ybrid is secured at its ends to the upper part of the measuring-vessel G, and crosses this vessel at right anglesyto the plane of the partition D, andreceives through it the rock-shaft f of the water-way F.

By reference to the diagram, fig. 5, and the following description, the operation of the latchesr lr-will be pivot-attachlment s of this level' in, with the valve-rod I, describing'lthe arc Z.

When said `float reaches the termination of its asl cending stroke, the catching-end of its latch, fr, which describes arc Y, will be in a position to catchA on its rest e, and will be thrust outwardly over its rest at the instant th catch Fr, applied to the opposite float Il., is detached froin its rest e, and this float allowed to drop.

The saine operation is repeated as the floats alter nately rise toa given height, by the supply of-liquid to their respective chambers. l

The' pivoted rests c c are inc1ned,lso that they will retreat slightly when pressed against by the bevelled ends of the latches vr r, and allow these ends of the latches to rise above them, after which they will drop beneath thel latches by their own gravity.

The latches are released from their rests by the de .scent of the shortest arms of levers m m., to which they are respectively pivoted, as above described, andat the instant of release of a latch, its float drops and shifts positionof the water-way F, so Aas to guide the liquidinto the measuring-chamber last emptied.

When it is not desired to force the measured liquid to a point above thc level of the meter, as, for instance, in measuring spirits flowing from stills, the air-tight casing A B may be dispensed with, and the chamber-ed vessel C constructedy so as to be properly attached, at its upper end, to a supply-pipe, and'to discharge the liquid from its lower end into a suitable receiver.

Operation.

Liquid is conducted through pipe G, and dischargedV from its orifice y upon the waterway F, which guides it into one of the apartments of the vessel O.

When the liquid rises in such apartment to a given height, regulated by adjusting the iioat H upon itsrod h', this float will be elevated to its highest point, and will be caught and held up by itslatch lr, extending over then-est e.

During the ascent of the float H, the valvesopening j, in the opposite empty chamber, will be shut.

At the instant the iloat H, in the filled chalnber, is caught at its 'highest point, the opposite float H will be released and allowed to drop, indoing which it will 'raise the-valve' i, in the iilled chamber, and shift the water-way F, so as to guide the liquid into the empty chamber, which latter will be receiving liquid while its opposite ichl mber is discharging its contents. l

In this wty, the measuring-chamberof vessel C will be alter itev lilled and emptied,'and each measured qnantity[ vi `jbe registered by the mechanism in the box M, whi 'f islbperated by rock-shaft j, acting through the me i1mot'pa\vl-rod P, and ratchet-wheel T, as before described.

Having described my invention,

Vhat-l' claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl l 1. Stationary measuring-chambers C C and oats H H, in combination with valves 'i Ii and suspendingdevices r c, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The rods nI n, connected to arms k, on the roekshaft of the Water-way F, and also connected to the ends of levers an. m, in combination with ioats H, arranged in the double-chambered vessel C, whereby the alternate descending movements of the said oats will shift the flow of liquid from one measuring-chamber to the other, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the slotted rods or arms n,

Wrist-pins 5, arms k, and stop-pins t, substantially as described.

GIDEON B. MASSEY.

Witnesses:

EDWIN H., GoREY, JOHN GEDDEs. 

